Never Hesitate
by ThatAverageGuy
Summary: Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate. Kurosaki Ichigo was never one to hesitate. Armed with a sharp mind and reigned-in emotions, just how far will young Ichigo make it in life? This is the story of Kurosaki Ichigo, a human with unlimited potential.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **Hello. If you're reading this, it means that you've given my attempt at fan fiction a chance. Hopefully, this will be an enjoyable experience for all. Be warned, this idea of mine that I'm about to write out is completely unplanned, thus I'll be making this up as I go. Well, enough talk, let's begin.**

**Speech Key:**

"Speech."

_Introductions/Written Reports/Etc._

'_Thoughts.'_

**Hollow/Being of Power**

**Release Phrase/Technique**

/\\\

_Hey, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, resident of Karakura Town and Karakura High School student. Now, this may all seem normal to you, but there's something I forgot to mention there. Ever since I could remember, I could see the souls of the departed. At first, I was in constant denial. Though, after seeing that they couldn't be seen by most others, I snapped myself out of that line of thought. At age 9, I began to sympathize with the spirits around me, as I had dealt with loss as they had. As they had lost the ability to be with their family, I had lost my mother. To what, I still don't know. But someday, I hope to have that knowledge._

/\\\

Today had been another boring day at school for Ichigo, nothing outside of the norm happening. He'd wished that one of the thuggish guys in his class would decide to pick a fight with him, as that was always a good way to pass the time. But sadly, every class went by with the same monotony as was appropriate for such a place. He didn't particularly care for the subjects they were taught, as it was easy enough, for him at least, to maintain a perfect score in each class.

He'd always had a good head on his shoulders, the happenings at age 9 serving to mature his mind quickly. Though he was smart, he was a tad lazy, only putting forth enough effort to get by.

As he wandered down the hall, mind full of a whirlwind of thoughts, he noticed he was about to run over some girl he recognized. He quickly sidestepped the girl, sighing in relief as he avoided a confrontation brought on by accident. He was about to continue on his way, when a small, soft hand rested itself on his shoulder. Turning, he raised an eyebrow as he took in the sight of two of his childhood friends.

"Inoue-san, Arisawa-san. Afternoon." He spoke plainly, brushing the hand of Arisawa Tatsuki off his shoulder.

"Hello, Kurosaki-kun." Inoue Orihime said, her hands held behind her back as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet.

"Ichigo, why do you still refer to me with such respect? It makes me feel older than I am.." Tatsuki stated with hidden frustration, her teeth grinding slightly at the sight of Ichigo's blank expression turning to a grin.

"Arisawa-san, you say my name with such familiarity. Don't tell me that you, as well as Inoue-san…" He trailed off, watching both women blush a bright hue at the implications. Seeing this as his chance to escape, he quickly tip-toed away, being sure not to disturb the two from their embarrassment-induced mini-coma.

/\\\

As Ichigo made his way home, thinking of things to once he was there, his ears caught the sound of a few guys laughing heartily as they skated, if the sound of rolling was anything to go by. As he turned the corner, he bore witness to a teen grinding the curb on his skateboard, accidentally knocking over a flower-filled vase, shattering the glass. Ichigo's normally blank features took on a dark, heavy look to them as he made his way towards the group.

As the guy was about to start up another grind, he suddenly found himself face-first in the concrete, the foot of Ichigo grinding into his head like an erasing, wishing his existence void. The bright-haired boy turned his gaze upon the rest of the group, a grin gracing his features as he stared each of them down for a moment.

"Tell me," Ichigo stated coldly, "what do you think you were doing?"

One of the teens stepped forward hesitantly, body shaking terribly. "W-w-we were p-practicing our g-g-grind." This answer earned him a kick with Ichigo's free leg, sending him tumbling back into the pitiful group.

Ichigo cracked his knuckles with ease, his eye twitching slightly. "Now, want to know what you were _really_ doing?" Each of them nodded, even the one trapped beneath his foot. That foot raised up, and proceeded to stomp, knocking the teen unconscious. "You were disrespecting the death site of a poor child. Now, say you're _**sorry**_."

The teens that were still awake nodded their heads quickly, bowing on their knees and repeatedly chanting 'Sorry!' before picking up their sleeping friend and leaving.

Ichigo turned to where he saw the spirit of a small girl, standing beside the broken vase. "Don't worry," he spoke softly, his expression showing the compassion he had for most souls. "I'll bring you another tomorrow."

"Arigatou, onii-san!" The girl squealed, hugging him despite being a spiritual being. That was something that had always weirded him out. He was able to interact with spirits on a physical level. He'd hopefully learn about that at some point as well.

He patted her back comfortingly, before pulling himself from her grasp, quietly making his way home. "Ja ne, imoutou." He called out, figuring he'd return her friendly gesture in kind.

/\\\

Making his way through the door to his home, he ducked instinctively, catching the wrist of his idiot father's arm and bringing the appendage down around his shoulder, giving him a familial hug. "Evening, tou-san." He greeted, brushing off the fact that he'd just about been decked by the man.

The man, known as Kurosaki Isshin, grinned happily, returning the hug. "Ichigo, glad to see you made it home. Though, I don't understand why you're so late." He spoke loudly, still as goofy as ever.

Two girls came into the living room, both looking to be fairly young. The first, a brunette, spoke up happily. "Ichi-nii was probably beating up some thugs. Right?" She asked giddily. The other of the two, who had cobalt hair, spoke up next. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was true."

Ichigo released his father, walking up to the two and kneeling, embracing them happily. "Evening, Yuzu-chan, Karin-chan." He chuckled as they hugged back, each giving him a kiss on the cheek, however reluctantly Karin did. He stood suddenly, look towards the top of the stairs that led to the residents' rooms. "I think I'm going to go ahead and get started on my homework. If I don't come down in time for dinner, I'm probably asleep, so please warm it up for me in the morning. Good food shouldn't go to waste." He spoke a slight bit hurriedly, waiting for his family to nod their acknowledgement before making his way up.

/\\\

Once within the comfort of his room, he let out a long sigh, dropping his bag beside his desk and flopping on top of his bed. Truth be told, Ichigo didn't have any homework. He just didn't feel like talking tonight. Maybe it was the slight disturbance he'd felt a few blocks away. Whenever he felt these things, they usually meant something bad. Never good.

Deciding that he should just sleep and worry later, he quickly slipped his uniform from his body, leaving himself in some grey boxers and a white, skin-tight undershirt. Breathing in to relax himself, he once against relaxed into his bed, not bothering to pull the sheet over his form.

Slowly, he lulled off to sleep, the worry of something bad happening leaving him.

/\\\

As the window of his room slid open, so too did his eyes. He'd always been a light sleeper when it came to break-ins, so he was prepared for this. Pretending to still be asleep, he gazed at the clearly-feminine figure clad in black shihakusho, a sword sheathed at her waist. Her long, cobalt hair framed her angelic face perfectly, he noticed as she turned to him, not quite looking at him. Her large, glossy eyes drew him in, as he bore his gaze into her deep pools of purple.

Deciding it was time to deal with this intruder, he quietly stood up, taking note of the fact that she wasn't worried about him spotting her in the slightest. He smirked, walking up behind her as she muttered to herself, before rearing his hand back.

_**SMACK!**_

The girl yelped as her hands grasped her rear, holding it tenderly as she fell face-first to the floor. Glancing back over her shoulder, her eyes widened in surprise at the clearly-human teen standing there, eyes glinting with amusement, hand still in its spanking position. "You… Y-you can see me, and touch me..?!" She exclaimed with disbelief.

Ichigo simply nodded, grasping her hand that still held her rear and pulled her up, her back hitting his chest. "Pleased to meet you, intruder-san." He said, smiling despite the situation. "What would you happen to be doing in my room?"

The girl in question blushed at the contact, quickly distancing herself from him. "I-I am currently on duty, searching for a Hollow that's been tracked to this general area." At the teen's questioning eyebrow raise, she sighed, figuring that she'd explain herself to him. "I am a Shinigami, or Soul Reaper. I am in charge of sending souls to the afterlife, as well as stopping Hollows, souls that gave into despair, from consuming other souls." She stated simply.

He blinked for a moment, before nodding, reaching out, and patting the woman on the head. "Well, that explains a lot, intruder-san. I think I'll let you go about your busi-..!" He stopped halfway through the statement, feeling a large.. pressure weighing him down. He strained himself just a bit to withstand it, watching as the shinigami before him flinched a bit as well. "I take it that force would be a Hollow, intruder-san?" He asked.

Her eyes widened at that. "How did you feel that pressure? You're a human, right?"

Ichigo nodded quietly. "Yes, I am. Though I have to mention that I am spiritually aware, to the point that I can physically interact with other souls." He thought she'd figure that out from his enlightening smack. "Though, you should probably get to work, as I just felt the floor shake." Seeing her just standing there, he shook his head, quickly making his way to the door, before heading out and down the stairs. He noticed the shinigami quickly following behind, trying to get him to stop.

The girl called out to him just as they got to the bottom. "W-wait! B-baka!" She paused at the sight before her, the bottom floor completely ravaged, with a giant hole leading out into the street. Quickly she made her way out, Ichigo coming up behind her and charging past, chair in hand.

He though to himself, _'This really isn't the smartest idea I've had in a while. Logically, I should just let the shinigami take care of this behemoth, but it's got Yuzu in its grasp!'_ Indeed, before him was a hulking behemoth of a hollow, its bodily structure consisting of a massive black body, connected to a simple white mask. A hole resting in the center of its chest.

Before he could even attempt to hit the thing, its free hand swiped at his form, knocking him back towards the shinigami. He flew, landing before her like a rag doll. "Heh.. seems I messed up big time.. your turn, intruder-san." He panted out softly, pushing himself up into a seated position. The shinigami nodded, drawing her sword swiftly before charging forward, jumping high and swinging low with the beautiful blade. Her blade only managed to graze the mask of the beast, forming a crack along its eyehole. The reason for this was that she too was knocked away, hitting a light pole in the street brutally.

Ichigo flinched as he heard the collision, slowly standing back up despite the pain he felt. _'Damn, this thing is pretty tough. I actually feel as if I'm going to die..'_ He gulped, watching as the hollow being turned to face him, having dropped Yuzu during the fight. Its mouth opened as it spoke. **"Mmm… your spiritual energy will leave me feeling full for quite some time, human.."** It growled lowly, trudging its way over to him for the first few steps, before lunging.

_**SQUELCH!**_

The pain he anticipated never came. In front of him stood the shinigami, shoulder leaking blood as her body shook. She'd taken a bite to the shoulder for him. He felt something within him flutter at that. Her untouched shoulder and arm swung her blade, slicing into the Hollow's arm brutally. It backed off for the moment to lick its wounds, leaving the shinigami to fall before Ichigo.

He came up to her side, pulling her bleeding form into his arms. His hand quickly ripped the sleeve from her shihakusho, wrapping it tightly around her bleeding shoulder to stave off the flow. "Don't worry, intruder-san. You're going to be okay." He stated with conviction, his voice not wavering in the slightest despite his own worry.

She cracked a smile at that, despite that massive pain in her shoulder. "Human… Do you wish to save your family from that Hollow?" She asked, already knowing his answer. Before he could answer such an obvious question, she pulled her sword from the ground, poising it at his chest. "For this to work, you must thrust yourself onto my sword in order to gain my power."

He looked hesitant for all of a moment, before remembering the mantra he'd heard preached to him each night since his mother's death, within his dreams. Nodding to himself, he grabbed onto the blade, in order to help the weakened shinigami perform the task. Before he did the deed, he began to chant that mantra.

"**Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate." **His voice seemed to be enhanced by reiatsu that was his own. Piercing the sword through his chest swiftly, he grunted, blood splattering from his mouth onto the shinigami's form. His mouth then formed into a smirk as a light began to envelop the two, and he said to her:

"**Pierce the night, Zangetsu.****"**

And pierce the night, it did.

/\\\

**A/N: So, that was a fair bit of writing, right? Not the longest I've seen on the site, no, not by a long shot. I honestly hope I did good on this. Any of you who reviews this will be the judge of that, though. Let me know if you guys liked the calmer, more collected and teasing Ichigo in this. As well as the release phrase for Zangetsu.**

**Well, bye.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Well, here it is. Chapter 2. Didn't think I'd actually garner a response with that attempt at a story. Well, anyways, onto the story. Apologies if any of you were looking forward to a glimpse of Ichigo's Shikai early on. That won't be revealed until he's truly hard-pressed, like he felt he was during the previous events. Now, story time. Read. Your critique is appreciated.**

/\\\

Last night had been far too much trouble for Ichigo. Battling against a being he had no experience with, using a sword he had thought was an oversized butcher knife at that, had put quite the strain on him, resulting in him almost sleeping in. Speaking of which, he really needed to get around to both thanking the shinigami from last night and asking her name. He hoped to befriend her, as she seemed pleasant enough.

Slowly, his eyes slid open, having mentally awoken himself already with the previous thoughts. He quietly slid out of bed, not bothering to remake it for once. He felt that he deserved to be lazy after last night. Quickly donning a set of school clothes from his tiny closet, he then grabbed his bag and left the room, the smell of breakfast reaching him as soon as he did.

He softly padded down the stairs, taking in the look of the still-ravaged living room, then turning his gaze to the untouched kitchen. _'I wonder if my family remembers what happened last night..' _He walked into the kitchen a bit cautiously, raising his hand in time to catch one of his father's kicks, returning the favor with a jab to his gut. "Ohayo, tou-san." He chuckled as his father rolled around on the floor, holding where he'd been jabbed and crying hysterically.

"Ichi-nii, breakfast is ready!" He heard the voice of Yuzu call. He also happened to overhear Karin taunting their father by calling him 'Goat-chin'. It amused him so much, he decided to let a laugh escape his lips for once.

Yuzu gazed up at him, holding a plate with a simple piece of toast, jam spread across the surface. "Ichi-nii… Here's your breakfast." She stated, quickly walking away after he'd taken the plate.

Ichigo's eyebrow raised at the behavior as he chewed on his toast. _'Ahh… I suppose I haven't managed to laugh like that since before kaa-san died.. Oh well, it'll do them good to know that I'm not as depressed as they thought.' _He opened the door swiftly, making his way out with the toast hanging from his mouth. He was sure he looked ridiculous like this.

/\\\

The bright-haired teen quietly made his way into the classroom, trying to avoid drawing any unwanted attention from his classmates. He plunked down into his seat, bag laying in the floor as his head rested against the desk. _'Maybe today, I'll make it through class without gaining a headache.'_ He sure hoped that was the case.

So far, he'd been lucky, not even meeting Asano Keigo in the hallway as he though he would. Curious, he glanced around the room, taking notice of the people he was familiar with. The first to stand out was Yasutora Sado, a tall, dark-skinned teen. Imposing as he was, he had a heart of gold and a will to protect almost as great as his own. They'd been friends since Mashiba Junior High, where they'd had each other's backs against thugs.

Arisawa Tatsuki was next to catch his eye, as well as Inoue Orihime. The two seemed inseparable at times, ever since the accident with Orihime's brother. He preferred not to get into that, as his father's clinic was involved in it as well.

Asano Keigo and Kojima Mizuiro were both chatting away about what he was sure were girls. The two were perverts in their own right, but he wouldn't have them any other way. He, alongside Sado, or Chad as he liked to call the brutish guy, had saved the two from some particularly nasty thugs, and had earned their friendship in the process.

He quickly straightened up as he felt a familiar presence enter the room, glancing towards the front. His eyes caught sight of a petite, angelic beauty, soft face framed by her gorgeous cobalt locks. Her deep purple eyes caught his, and his heart almost skipped a beat. He simply smiled in her direction, sure that his cheeks were as flushed as he could see the girl's were.

A cough interrupted their stare, and the rest of the class quickly seated themselves as Ms. Ochi entered the room, hand resting on the aforementioned girl's shoulder. "Now, class, I'd like you to meet our new student. Please, dear, introduce yourself." The girl nodded, standing up straight, hands behind her back, a sweet smile gracing her features. "Hello, everyone. My name is Kuchiki Rukia, and I recently transferred here. I hope you'll treat me well." She said, ending with a bow.

Ms. Ochi nodded approvingly, hand quickly pointing towards Ichigo. "Now, Ms. Kuchiki, I'd like you to take a seat beside Mr. Kurosaki over there." She stated, taking her own seat behind the main desk at the front. Having followed her gaze, the now-identified Rukia caught herself staring at the teen once again. She coughed away her embarrassment, quickly making her way to her determined seat.

Ichigo raised a brow as the girl proceeded to stare ahead, clearly nervous about the situation. He decided he'd confront her about this during lunch. It was too troublesome to do so while class was in session, after all.

/\\\

As the class was dismissed for lunch, Ichigo spotted his friends preparing to swarm both him and Rukia. Thinking quickly, he snatched his bag up off the floor, slipping out of his seat and resting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Kuchiki-san. Want to head up to the roof with me for lunch?" He asked casually, taking note of the stiffness in her shoulders.

"O-of course." She quickly replied, standing up without warning. This caused her to bump into Ichigo's chest, which she chastised herself for doing so mentally.

Ichigo brushed this off without a care, taking her hand in his own and quickly strolling out of the room, not quite dragging the girl behind him. He simply did not feel like dealing with his friends at the moment, and he felt there was a reason a shinigami had decided to attend his school.

/\\\

Finally finding themselves on the roof, Ichigo made his way over to the edge, fenced off for safety purposes. As he sat, he took notice of the girl once again, seeing that she wasn't sure as to where to sit. He sighed, patting the spot directly next to him meaningfully. "This seat's open, if you want."

"Thank you.." Rukia said quietly, plopping down next to him, a bit of space purposefully between the two. She sat there, twiddling her thumbs, not sure if she should just get straight to the point, or wait for him to finish his meal. As she was about to speak up, she found a box of juice thrust in front of her, as well as a small bento laid in her lap. She followed the appendage up to the face of the boy she'd given her powers to, a soft smile directed at her.

"Eat up, Kuchiki-san. I noticed your lack of a packed lunch, so go ahead and have mine. I had enough of a breakfast to skip for today." He lied through his teeth, though she didn't know that.

She found herself quickly returning to her flushed state, muttering another, "Thank you.." as she took the box of juice into her hands. Her eyebrows furrowed as she pulled the straw off of the side, not sure where it was supposed to go. "Um.." She felt like an idiot.

Turning to her once again, he found himself holding in a laugh at her expense. Instead of that line of action, he swiftly took it from her hands, spearing the outlined hole with the straw and handing it back. "Enjoy, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia sighed, sipping at the juice. It was strawberry-flavored, and she loved it. So enticed by the drink, she completely forgot about the bento, the box sliding off of her lap to rest at her unoccupied side.

After she'd finished the glorious drink, she finally turned back towards the teen, whose name she still didn't know. "Um.. I never did get your name." She said softly, hoping he'd oblige.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, pleased to meet you, Kuchiki-san." He stated, taking her hand in his own and shaking it, despite her not offering it in the first place. "Now, why don't you inform me of why a shinigami is attending a high school in the world of the living."

She cleared her throat, facing him with a far more calm expression. "Well, as I have given you most of my reiatsu during the transfer, I am currently too weak to carry on my duties. As you are the strongest shinigami at present, I'd like you to take my place temporarily, with my guidance, of course." She managed to say in one breath.

Ichigo took on a thoughtful expression, before the events of last night came rushing back to the forefront. "Of course, Kuchiki-san. I'd be honored to be led by such a beautiful woman as yourself, if you don't mind my saying." He spoke bluntly.

The girl in question blushed for what seemed like the millionth time today. "Of course I don't mind. And please, call me Rukia."

He nodded, standing easily as he knew it was time to head back to class. "Only if you call me Ichigo. Formalities are reserved for people I hardly know, and you seem to be pleasant enough company."

With their partnership, and friendship, confirmed, the two headed back down, prepared for a few more hours of lessons.

/\\\

Ichigo laughed heartily as he carried the petite shinigami on his back. It seemed to him that after the awkwardness of the situation was taken care of, they'd been able to hit it off fairly well. He'd learned that she liked Chappy, something both of his sisters liked, however much Karin denied it. So, on their way home, he'd bought her a plush of the famous bunny. This, of course, had resulted in their current position, as she'd glomped him from behind on their way back.

"Rukia, calm down. It's just a plush." He said to her, smirking as he felt her grip on his shoulders tighten. "Don't worry, as soon as we're there, I'll hand the thing over to you. Alright?" He felt her nod against his back, and so he continued on.

Finally reaching the house, he knew he'd have to keep her a secret for now, and so helped her up onto the roof, where he opened his window and allowed her entrance. He'd go in the front door, so as not to arouse suspicion.

Climbing back down, he quickly made his way through the door, avoiding another well-expected punch from his father. "Tou-san, please stop with the nonsense. I'd like to relax after such a long day at school." He whined playfully, knowing his sisters were there to hear it.

"Ichi-nii, that really doesn't suit you." Yuzu stated, a pan held in her hand. Karin palmed her face and stalked off, probably to read.

Isshin gave his son a great, big bear hug, chuckling happily. "My, you sure are cheerful despite such a 'long day'." He repeated in a mock whine. Ichigo simply decked him after he'd been set free, making his way upstairs. "Same as last night, Yuzu. Dinner in the morning." He called back down the stairs, quietly making his way into his room.

/\\\

Rukia currently was laid out on the teen's bed, enjoying the comfortability that just didn't exist in a futon. Hearing the door open, she smiled in the direction of the calm teen. "Welcome home, Ichigo." She said happily, despite only knowing him for about a day.

"Glad to be home, Rukia." He said, laying himself out on one side of the spacious bed. "So, where do you want to sleep? Your choice, as you're the guest."

Rukia brought a finger to her lips, thinking hard for a good minute. Finally, she made up her mind, a light blush on her cheeks. "Ah, um… I could sleep in your bed, on the opposite side. I don't see anywhere else to sleep."

Said teen raised his brow, but nodded, quickly stripping down to his usual night apparel. He smirked as her blush brightened at this. "Right, then. I'll just be getting comfortable." He said, snuggling under the covers on his side. He'd give her the chance to change while he wasn't looking. He wasn't a pervert.

Rukia nodded hesitantly, stripping down to the nude before throwing on some pajamas that a certain store-owner had lent her. "Alright, all done." She called out, easing her way into her side of the bed, getting comfortable quickly.

Ichigo's eyes lit up for a moment, as he remembered the small plush he still had. Reaching down into his bag from the safety of his bed, he pulled the cute thing from within. "Rukia, I almost forgot. Here's your Chappy."

Rukia's form shot up into a seated position at this, and she happily reached over him in order to snatch the plush from his grasp. She held it to her chest, falling back against the bed with a sigh. "Thank you…"

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder sleepily, before turning back to face the closet. "G'night, Rukia."

"Good night, Ichigo."

/\\\

Morning came quickly, something he'd wished wouldn't. Sighing heavily, Ichigo pulled himself from bed, taking a moment to glance down at the peaceful, sleeping form of the now-resident shinigami. She looked cute, he thought. "Rukia, wake up. Today's a good day to get myself adjusted to my job." He called out, just loud enough that he was sure she'd hear him.

Rukia's eyes slid open quickly as she rolled out of bed, yawning and stretching. "Ahhh… That was a good night's rest." She yawned, beginning to undo the buttons to her pajama top. At this, Ichigo simply turned around, giving her the privacy she needed. Was it weird that they already had such trust with each other? He thought so.

"I'm done, Ichigo. You can go ahead and get changed, now." She said with a smirk, watching as he started to throw on some clothes. She slipped on a red glove with a flaming skull character on it, and proceeded to punch the back of his head. She watched as the soul of the teen fell to the floor in surprise, the body falling onto the bed.

Ichigo quickly leapt off of the ground, glaring half-heartedly at Rukia for all of a moment. The bright-haired teen was clad in a black shihakusho and straw sandals, something he'd have to get used to. On his back was what appeared to be an oversized, double-edged katana of sorts, a massive guard and hilt accompanying it.

"Well, I suppose we're ready for day one, Rukia." He stated, pulling the giant sword from his back with the ease of a well-practiced swordsman.

Rukia nodded, pulling a cellular device from pocket as it rang. She opened it up, pointing at the mini-map it had on the screen. "There's our first Hollow, Ichigo. You know where that is?"

Ichigo's demeanor changed completely, from a calm, cool, and stoic yet kind face, to that of a hardened warrior. "That's the soccer field. My sister Karin's probably there.."

/\\\

**A/N: Well, isn't that a surprise. Ichigo's other sister is now potentially in danger. Maybe you'll get to see Ichigo clumsily use his shikai after all. But, yeah. This was more of a bonding chapter, as I wanted Ichigo and Rukia to have a steady partnership before jumping into the heat of battle. Tell me what you think.**

**Bye.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Well, here's chapter 3, everyone. Hopefully, you'll enjoy this. It's my first attempt at writing a battle scene, so please, be a bit gentle. As always, though, your critique will be appreciated, as it'll help me along on my next chapter. With that said, let's begin. Read. Review. Critique helps the development of the story. As does suggestions as to abilities or… pairings.**

/\\\

At Ichigo's insistence, the two had departed as speedily as possible. His sister, as well as her friends, were potentially in danger of being consumed by a ravenous hollow. This was something the self-proclaimed "Number One Protector" would never allow. Currently, he was hopping the rooftops of Karakura, his newfound spiritual prowess allowing for speedy foot travel.

"Rukia, has the Hollow made a move yet?" Ichigo questioned, no sign of tiredness coating his tone.

Adjusting herself on the replacement shinigami's back, she managed to open her cellular device, glancing briefly at the mini-map. "No, Ichigo. It hasn't moved at all in the time we've been traveling."

Ichigo smirked at this, thinking of something that could cause the hollow to be so still. "Hm, I guess it's waiting to feast on my own spiritual pressure. A trap, how clever." He continued on, not caring in the slightest that there were potentially more hollows in wait, masking their pressure.

Securing his grip on his behemoth of a blade, he came to a stop on a roof preceding the soccer field. As he'd hoped against, there his sister played with her friends, oblivious to the beings that could end her life. He let Rukia off of his back, preparing to face the music. "You wait here and observe from above. I'm gonna try a little ambush of my own." He stated with finality, making his way further down the row of buildings.

/\\\

Currently, an imposing Hollow was standing out in the middle of the street, eyes grazing over the soccer field full of tasty human souls. _**'Patience… The shinigami will be here soon, and he'll make a much better meal than these meager children.'**_ This was the hollow's line of thinking.

He appeared to be almost generic, like the one the shinigami he was hunting had faced. A bulky, tall black body, topped by a plain white mask. The only differentiation seemed to be a lone, black stripe halving his mask down the middle vertically.

Ever since he'd witnessed his brother in death be purified by the bright-haired shinigami, he'd been plotting his demise. And so, he'd gathered a pack of ravenous hollows, big and small, that awaited his signal at the current moment. **"We'll ambush, and crush this annoyance down like the bug he is.." **He growled lowly, fists clenched.

"Ambush, eh? Knew it."

The Hollow jerked shakily, rearing its head back to look at the shinigami currently crouched on his shoulder, sword already in swing. **"Damn yo-…"** He never finished his line of speech, his end coming as his mask was sliced in half.

"One down…" Ichigo muttered, tensing heavily as he felt multiple presences flood into the area. He dropped down to the ground as the first hollow was purified, leaving him nothing to stand on. Glancing around, he noticed a hollow in every direction, mouths dripping with translucent, sparkling liquid. "I suppose you're big guy's backup, eh? Come at me." He taunted, his tone still even. The one to his right seemed to be a simple brute, brandishing huge, spiky fists and legs. On the left was a Hollow with tendril-like appendages. At his front, the beast's limbs were fashioned into blades making it fairly deadly. He wasn't sure about behind him, as he didn't wish to chance a peek.

This first of the hollows came from his right, aiming to take advantage of his unguarded side. This was not to be the case, as Ichigo simply brought his sword up from his left, over his shoulders, bent his knees, and planted the sword to his right. His left arm pressed against the flat side of the blade, giving it extra blocking power at the hollow's fist struck, bouncing off of it roughly. "You'll have to do better than that." Ichigo called out, pulling his sword into both hands and leaping to the side, swiping at the enraged hollow's ankles.

It cried out as it felt its feet separated from its legs, falling to its knees. It turned to the shinigami, red eyes glowing bright with rage as it lunged, ugly mask opening its mouth to devour. It gagged as it found a blade lodged down its throat, before crying out haggardly as the blade ripped through its lower mask portion. Its life ended there.

"Two down. You're obviously not going to get me with that kind of approach. " Ichigo sounded almost bored at the moment, despite the light amount of sweat coating his forehead. Seeing this, two of the hollows came at him together, one launching strange tendrils at the teen, the other spinning rapidly as its bladed arms created a whirlwind of death.

Ichigo smiled at this, resting his zanpaktou over his shoulders as his reiatsu rose. "Finally taking me serious, huh? I suppose I'll do the same." His legs tensed, and just as he was about to be struck by the combined efforts of the hollows, called out for all to hear, **"Pierce the night, Zangetsu." **A bright light engulfed his form, blinding the remaining hollows, the one not participated included. A cloud of smoke billowed out from where was, and as it blew away it revealed… nothing. The teen had disappeared from sight!

"I guess you really weren't taking me serious, were you?" The two hollows turned their heads to face behind them, catching in their gaze the shinigami they'd been about to strike down. In his hand was what looked to be a giant, elegantly-curved cleaver. It had no traditional hilt or tsuba, and had lost one of its original form's edges. The blunted side was a deep black, while the sharpened edge was a gleaming silver, ready to chop through anything. Jutting from the blunted part was a pole of metal the same color as what it was attached to, although most of it was covered by a long bandage that tapered off after about two feet of leaving the handle.

The shinigami himself had changed slightly in form. His shihakusho remained unchanged, save for the front opening a little to reveal his toned chest. His feet were covered in deep, black boots, padded underneath to allow silent movement. This was odd, but it fit Ichigo's silent, deadly approach.

Taking advantage of the hollows' surprise, he zipped up to the first in a burst of speed, lopping through its mask like butter. "Three." He didn't stop there, managing to get in front of the fourth, but being blocked by its bladed arms. He pressed on, rearing back quickly and slamming the blade against the hollow's arms four times in quick succession, breaking its guard. The hollow had no time to panic as its mask was cleanly sliced down the middle in an upward slash.

"Four down. Now, come out to play, little one." He called out, a slight grin gracing his features. He lost that grin, however, when he caught sight of and heard children running and screaming, his sister's ear piercing cry reaching him quickly.

"**Allow yourself to be consumed, or I'll have this soul as an appetizer before going after you, shinigami."** He spat the last word with venom. In his strong, bony grip was the form of Karin, struggling against the thing fruitlessly. She couldn't even see what was holding her.

"Let her go, scum." Ichigo stated with a calm fury, hand clenching at the handle of Zangetsu tightly.

'**Ichigo.'** A voice that was all too familiar called Ichigo's name from within his mind.

'_What is it, old man Zangetsu?' _Ichigo questioned, keeping his gaze focused on the hollow as he did.

'**I believe you are prepared to learn the first of my techniques.'** Zangetsu replied in turn.

'_Will this be able to get the Hollow away from my sister?'_ Ichigo questioned again, patience running thin for once.

'**That, and so much more, Ichigo. Now, here's the… variation of this technique that you'll be using for this Hollow..'**

/\\\

After Ichigo had been informed of his first technique, the Hollow before him had begun to grow antsy. He gripped the girl he had tighter, yelling at the shinigami furiously. **"Hurry up, boy! I may just have to eat this girl after all!"**

Ichigo ignored the Hollow's antagonizing, instead taking the cloth of his zanpaktou into his hand and swinging it up into the air, where he proceeded to twirl the weapon speedily. He began to gather what little spiritual energy he could feel around him into the weapon with this method, flowing some of his own into the blaze to help it along. Satisfied with the charged reiatsu, he called out the first name of the technique.

"**Getsuga…"**

The Hollow shook at this, not sure what the shinigami was about to try.

Ichigo finally brought the blade down from its twirling, the compressed mass of energy traveling forth from the edge in a small, blue wave. **"…Tensho."** The wave traveled with great speed, colliding with the Hollow's mask within a second of its release.

The Hollow disappeared into reishi as it was purified, his sister falling to the ground with a thud. Ichigo watched as kids surrounded her, voicing their worry. It a brought a tired smile to his face. "Glad that's over with. Oh, and thanks, Zangetsu." He acknowledged his partner quietly.

'**I'll always be glad to help, Ichigo.'** Zangetsu called from within the teen's mind, a hint of happiness in his tone.

Ichigo quickly resealed his blade, sheathing it on his back before jumping up to the rooftops. There, he found Rukia, gaping at him slightly. "So, how'd I do, Rukia?"

She quickly recovered from her shock, schooling her features into a small smile. "You did great, especially for your first time. Though, we'll need to get you to where you're a bit better with your sealed zanpaktou. You don't need to rely on your shikai for every fight." She stated with honest critique, before continuing. "Speaking of shikai, you've already learned and gotten a grip of one of your techniques?" She sounded amazed.

Ichigo nodded, reaching back to pat the hilt of his zanpaktou lightly. "He decided it was time I learned. It really helped in saving my sister." He stated, before reaching forward to scoop the girl up in his arms. Said girl blushed immensely at this, having expected to be riding on his back. "Well, let's get back home. We've got one more day, tomorrow, to get adjusted before heading back to school."

Rukia nodded at this. "Mmhm. I suppose I could bring you by Urahara-san's shop for some supplies. You'll need'em for when we have to leave school to face a hollow."

Ichigo agreed, and they made their way home at a sedate pace, enjoying each other's company.

/\\\

It was Sunday morning already, the day Ichigo would be visiting this 'Urahara-san' and his shop. With a long yawn, Ichigo worked his way out of bed, glancing down at Rukia, whom he noticed was slightly closer to the middle of the bed than she'd been as they went to sleep. _'Odd.'_

Making his way around to her side of the bed, he reached down, tapping her nose softly. "Ohayo, Rukia. Good day to get supplies, ne?" He asked, chuckling as he watched her nose scrunch up beneath his finger. Pulling away before she decided to harm him, he watched as she rose out of bed just as slowly as he had, bumping into his chest as she stood.

"O-ohayo.." She mumbled, blushing at her clumsiness. He brushed it off, bringing an arm around her to give a firm hug, before backing off. "I'm gonna go take a shower. Not sure if you want to risk taking one yourself with my family around."

Rukia turned her head away, still blushing. "Well, you could always stay in while I take mine, so as to make your family think you're the one taking it…" She was truly desperate to wash this gigai of hers. It was irritating not to bath.

Ichigo actually found himself blushing at this, but nodded. "That'll work. Now, come on, we need to sneak across the hallway at the right time to avoid being spotted." He gestured over to the door, and the two made their way sneakily across.

/\\\

The two found themselves walking towards the shop in a comfortable silence. The events of bathing earlier were so embarrassing that they'd lost their ability to talk to each other afterwards, and settled for a silent walk.

Ichigo, however, finally broke the silence. "So, how long until we get there, Rukia?"

Rukia sighed softly at this. "We're just a little ways away, actually." She stopped for a moment, almost being run over the teen who trailed along behind her. She looked back, blushing lightly at the contact. "Y-you know, I never looked even once during our time in the bathroom, Ichigo."

Ichigo came up to her side, coaxing her to continue along their walk with a hand around her shoulder. "I gave you the same courtesy, as you deserved that much at least, Rukia." He said, and so ended their conversation.

Truly, Rukia felt guilty about this, as she had, in fact, snuck a peek at her replacement. _'I feel so dirty… Bad Rukia! You'd never allow yourself to spy on some unsuspecting… unknowing… gorgeous… built… Gah! Stop it!' _Her cheeks remained heated the entire way to Urahara's.

/\\\

Currently, the unassuming little shack that was known as the "Urahara Shoten" was having the direct front of it swept by two children, a girl and a boy. The girl, her light black hair held in black pigtails, eyes seeming so sad yet so joyful, and cheeks permanently flushed, was Tsumugiya Ururu. She was being yelled at by the shorter of the two, a red-headed boy with an angry expression. His name was Hanakari Jinta, and boy was he mad.

"Come on, Ururu, hurry up and finish for me, I want to get back to playing baseball already. If I start early, Tessai'll surely punish me, and I'll have to punish you!" He yelled. This was actually uncharacteristic for the boy, despite his temper. He must've been feeling antsy today.

This is the sight that Ichigo and Rukia came upon, the first of the two frowning at this behavior, the second acting like it was normal. Letting go of Rukia, Ichigo made his way over, where he proceeded to do the only thing he could think of to reprimand the red-head in this situation; smack him over the head.

"Don't scream so roughly at girls, baka!" He roared, causing the kid to shy away from him. He'd expected the boy to argue with him, as seemed the case with his kind of temper. He quickly rounded on the young girl, smiling at her softly and patting her head. "Now, don't worry about him. I've taken care of him for you."

Ururu smiled at this, giggling as her head was patted. "Thank you, sir. My name's Ururu. His name is Jinta."

Ichigo nodded at her. "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Pleased to meet you. But, would you be so kind as to fetch an Urahara-san for my friend Rukia and I?"

She nodded in kind, quickly making her way back into the shop. As she did this, Ichigo turned back to see Rukia finally walking up to where he stood. "Well, let's see this guy you're talking about, then."

/\\\

Quietly, the two made their way into the shop, glancing at the small counter and the few aisles lined with candy and other goods. "Supplies for a shinigami, eh, Rukia…? Are you trying to fatten me up?" He asked in a mock-accusing tone.

Rukia stumbled slightly at this. "B-baka. This is just a front for what's really here. Do you think he'd have stuff for shinigami out for human consumption?" At this, Ichigo simply shrugged, noticing that they'd been joined by a shady man.

Said shady man was wearing a dark, sleeved haori. Underneath he wore a plain, green shirt and pants. He wore traditional straw sandals, as well as a green and white striped bucket hat, which shadowed his baggy eyes. His faded blonde hair gave him an overall depressing look. Smiling happily, the man snapped a fan before his face. "Welcome to the Urahara Shoten. I'm Urahara Kisuke, at your service."

Ichigo simply sweat-dropped at this, whilst Rukia walked forward. "Yes, well, I was wondering if you could provide a Gikongan dispenser for Ichigo here. He's the one working in my stead." She stated.

Kisuke fanned himself lightly for a moment, thinking about it. "Hmm… I might have a box of those left in the back. Ururu! Would you mind fetching our lovely couple here a Gikongan dispenser~?" He called out, much to the two before him's displeasure, as they proceeded to blush lightly.

Ururu quickly made her way into the back, calling out a quick "Hai." as she did. She returned moments later, a Chappy-headed dispenser in hand. "Here you go, Kurosaki-san." She said politely, placing it within his grip before wandering off into the store, probably to organize some products.

"Now, seeing as this is your first time, I won't charge you, Kurosaki-kun." Urahara let out relaxedly, continuing to fan himself.

Ichigo nodded his head at the man thankfully. "Arigatou, geta-boshi." He smirked as he saw the man's eye twitch beneath his hat. "Now, let's get going, Rukia." He said, offering a hand to the girl.

She took it without hesitation, though she did still manage blush. "H-hai, Ichigo." She muttered, following along beside the boy as they walked out of the shop.

As they left, Urahara tipped his at, his fan placed away within his haori. A smile graced his features. "Ah… young love. I'll be looking forward to working with you, when the time comes, Ichigo." With that, he retreated into the shop.

/\\\

**A/N: And so ends another chapter in the life of Kurosaki Ichigo. So, how was it? Did I make the fight scene too long, too short, just right for Ichigo's current strength, both mental and physical? Let me know. Every little bit helps, after all.**

**Bye.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Chapter Four already? Goodness, I didn't think I'd make it this far. The reviews I've gotten have encouraged me so far, though only one or two ideas have been thrown my way. Please, let me know what you think would be good additions to the story. Don't be shy. Anyways, onto the story.**

/\\\

A week had passed with little incident. The occasional Hollow, though, had turned into the occasional _group_ of hollows, keeping Ichigo hard-pressed in his duties. He wouldn't have it any other way, as it'd only helped in furthering his experience. Today was his first day back at school after another long, eventful weekend with Rukia. Much to his embarrassment, he'd found himself walking into his room, dinner in hand as she was changing into her pajamas. Awkward.

As the two made their way to school, an uncomfortable silence followed them from the house. They hadn't talked since last night's accident, though Ichigo was determined to break the silence come lunch time.

"Kuchiki-saaaan! Kurosaki-kuuun! Wait up~!" This came to the two's ears, causing them to stop and turn. Coming at them was Inoue Orihime, determined to walk to school with them today. Coming to a panting stop, she smiled brightly. "Ohayo. Would you mind if I joined you on the way to school?" She questioned innocently.

Meanwhile, jealousy stirred in the young Kuchiki, as she crossed her arms. _'Kurosaki-kun…? Why is she so familiar with Ichigo…?' _Her brow twitched at her question. _'Damn right, we mind!'_ Ichigo, on the other hand obliged, unperturbed by the extra company.

"Of course, Inoue-san. We're heading the same way, might as well." He stated simply. Noticing Rukia's furious expression, he reached out, grasping the jealous girl's hand and pulling her along. "Calm down, Rukia. Inoue-san is just a friend." He whispered into her ear.

In place of her frown, a blush and a giant grin took form. Inside of her head, a chibi-Rukia danced in victory. _'Hell yeah! Take that, Inoue!'_ On the outside, she kept her thoughts to herself, though she did snuggle up closer to Ichigo.

Orihime, in all of this, had a mix between a frown and a smile, a small bit of confusion in her wide eyes. "It's only been a week… yet they're already so close?" She muttered, trailing behind the two considerably.

/\\\

Class went by without incident, besides the stares that Ichigo's attention to Rukia was receiving. They'd gotten used to it after last week, the constant whispers of rumors as to how close Ichigo and Rukia were, and after only a few days that.

Well, Ichigo couldn't really speak for Rukia, as she seemed a bit uncomfortable with all the hushed talk behind their backs. "Ichigo… why are we taking so long to get to the roof? I'm really getting uncomfortable with all the chatter directed at us.." She questioned softly, huddled close to the bright-haired teen.

"Don't worry, Rukia. We're almost there." Ichigo cooed, pulling her snug up against his side. He turned his gaze over the crowd of people littering the sides of the hall, setting in place a threatening scowl. This seemed to quiet most of the chatter.

/\\\

The two finally found themselves on the roof, alone. He was glad his friends hadn't decided to follow them during his days with Rukia, as he rather liked the time he spent with her. "You can open your eyes now, Rukia."

Said girl pulled her face from Ichigo's shirt, glancing around to familiarize herself with the rooftop, a small smile replacing her embarrassed expression. "Arigatou, Ichigo."

The teen sat himself down near the edge, as he'd done the first time they'd been up here. He patted the spot next to him, where she promptly plopped herself down on. "Now, seeing as I forgot to bring our lunch…" He flinched as he felt her fist tap lightly against his shoulder. "… Let's clear the air about last night." He finished.

Rukia's face returned to its original, bright color, her head turning to look at something she found interesting. "Well, um… what is there to talk about regarding that?"

Ichigo sighed, clasping her stiff shoulder with his hand. "Look, I only wanted to apologize for walking in at such a time. Had I knocked, the situation could've been avoided. I'm truly sorry, Rukia." He bowed his head as he finished.

Rukia quickly snapped her gaze back at him, her eyes wide. "I-I… I need to be honest with you, Ichigo. Remember the first time we shared the bathroom…?" To this, Ichigo nodded. "W-well, I wasn't completely honest about that situation. I actually… stared at you for the entirety of your bath." She squeaked, covering her mouth quickly.

Ichigo, meanwhile, was left blinking. "Really? Huh, then I suppose we're even in that regard, ne?" He let out, a small grin gracing his face, which at this point had drifted awfully close to Rukia's.

She slowly uncovered her mouth, a smile of her own resting beneath. "Y-yeah. I guess we are." She managed to say.

Ichigo then broke out the two bento that he had supposedly forgotten, handing one to Rukia. "Glad we got that out of the way."

/\\\

The sun had already set, beckoning the moon to rise. Ichigo and Rukia had yet to actually head home, due to a sudden influx of hollows. Currently, the two were tailing the signature of newly-made hollow. "Rukia, where the hell is this thing headed?"

Rukia grunted behind him, sparing a glance at the device in her hand. "Towards some apartment buildings just up ahead."

"Fuck, Orihime lives in one of those!" Ichigo yelled out, the fact that he'd cursed showing that for once, his cool was lost. In his hands, Zangetsu's sealed form rested, clenched tightly in his grip. "Rukia, permission to release my zanpaktou. I need speed."

Rukia, noticing that they were struggling to keep up with the hollow, nodded. "Permission granted. We'll have to work on your speed in your sealed state as well, Ichigo."

If he'd heard her, he didn't show it. **"Pierce the night, Zangetsu." **He muttered under his breath, from building to building with much more speed. The elegant slaying moon gleamed in the light of its namesake, thirsting for a chance to slice up a hollow.

Stopping a block away from the apartments, Ichigo allowed Rukia to slide off of his back. "This won't take long, Rukia. Stay here." Ichigo commanded, dashing off before the girl could protest.

/\\\

"Tatsuki!" came the cry of Inoue Orihime, as her best friend was struck by an invisible force, knocked out cold and bleeding onto the carpet. "Who's there! Stop this!" She screamed in desperation. She felt herself smacked into the ground, before rolling across the floor. The sound of chain reached her ears as she fought to keep conscious.

"**We'll finally be together again, Orihime…"** An eerie voice cooed, though that was all that could be heard by Orihime, as she had then chosen to sleep.

Before the Hollow could make a move, it found itself, smacked through the window of the apartment, where it proceeded to fall to the streets.

"Together again…? He couldn't be…" Ichigo muttered, before making his way out of the shattered window, landing in front of the enraged Hollow.

"**Who are you?! Why have you separated me from my precious Orihime?!"** The Hollow roared, balancing itself on its tail.

"What are you doing, hurting your _precious_ Orihime?" He asked, having calmed down.

The Hollow surged forth, thoroughly pissed off. **"Hurting her?! I only wish to reunite with her in death!"** He cried, the maw of his ferocious mask open, ready to chomp.

"Tch… Her own brother, a Hollow." He whispered, bringing Zangetsu up into a block one-handed, shattering a bit of the Hollow's mask unintentionally. This confirmed his suspicions, as he recognized the face beneath the mask. "Sorry, Inoue-san… This to protect your sister." He reared the blade back, watching as the Hollow attempted to back away.

Having gathered the needed reiatsu, he swung forward, a small wave of energy traveling from the edge. "Getsuga Tensho." He stated, watching as the wave sliced the hollow in half, purifying it.

Sighing heavily, Ichigo sealed his zanpaktou, before hopping up to the window of Orihime's apartment. "Gonna need Rukia to wipe their memories…" He noticed that Tatsuki had stopped bleeding, as was breathing shakily in her sleep. However, he also noticed there were two Orihime's, connected by their Chain of Fate.

"Well, crap." He said, picking up her spirit form, setting it down over her physical body, watching merge with fascination. "Huh, neat." Seeing her about to stir, he dashed off to where he'd left Rukia.

Orihime blinked awake rather quickly, glancing around. "What happened?"

/\\\

Ichigo landed in front of Rukia, pulling her onto his back quickly before dashing away. "Gonna need you to replace Tatsuki and Orihime's memories, Rukia." He told her, quickly maneuvering his way back into the apartment.

Rukia nodded silently, pulling the duck-headed memory wiper from somewhere on her person. "Right, I've got it ready for use."

/\\\

Having dealt with Tatsuki's and Orihime's memories, the two had swiftly made their return home. Today had been a rough day, and they were thankful that the flow of hollows had ended when it did.

The two took a long shower, not together mind you, before heading to Ichigo's room for a good night's rest. "Ahhh… We're finally done." Ichigo sighed out as he fell into his side of the bed.

Rukia made to jump over him landing on her stomach at his side. "Yeah…" She managed to say, her voice full of her own tiredness. She turned onto her side, facing Ichigo for once. Ichigo did the same, staring into her eyes curiously. His eyebrow raised sharply as she simply dove for his chest, snuggling into his warmth. "Good night, Ichigo-kun." She breathed into his chest.

Ichigo's breath caught in his throat at this. She was being awfully forward, what with them only being friends. Finally, he found his voice, though it was a bit sheepish. "G'night, Rukia…-chan." He added uneasily, before drifting off to sleep.

Half-way through the night, his arm drifted over her form, keeping her close.

/\\\

Within another world entirely, amidst the cool breeze of night, the trees swaying slightly at its command, stood three figures, talking in hushed tones. All three were blanketed by the cover of night, the moonlight being held behind the clouds.

"My Lord, how goes the development of the human boy?" The first of the three spoke.

The second, standing above the first and the third as they kneeled, had his arms crossed as he thought. "I have not been able to witness his progress first hand, but I know that he has obtained his own shinigami abilities. To what extent he has, I am not sure of at the moment."

The third, standing alongside the first after this, chuckled slightly. "Ya' sure ya' aren't just slipping in yer' information gatherin', taicho-sama?"

The second simply stood there, staring the third down with angry intent. "You would do well to learn your place, Gin." He stated coolly, despite his anger.

The first made to keep the the now-identified Gin from spouting off further. "My apologies on his part, Lord Aizen. He does not walk the path of justice as we do."

Aizen, the third figure, merely waved his hand. "Calm, you two. We are all allies here. You'd do well to remember that, Tousen."

Tousen simply nodded, hand losing its grip on his zanpaktou. "As you wish, Lord Aizen.

/\\\

**A/N: Well, this was a bit shorter than the last chapter, but bare with me, I find it difficult to type up interesting things for the beginning arc, seeing as it's only a precursor to the thrilling action of the upcoming ones. As always, though, your critique is welcome.**

**Bye.**


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